Pattern sprinkler



Nov. 21, 1950 H. H. OWBRIDGE PATTERN SPRINKLER Filed Jan. 12, 1946 Pa te Ne 21.11950 UNITED STATES PATENT omce PATTERN SPRIN LER Herbert H. Qwbridge, Burbank, Calif.

Application January 12, 1946, Serial No. 640,810

This invention relates to a rotary sprinkler such as is commonly used for watering lawns, shrubbery, golf courses and the like. It is particularly directed to an improvement of the device shown in the Englehart Patent No. 2,256,737,

. issued September 23, 1941.

The preferred form of device embodyin this invention differs from the Englehart construction in that it rotates continuously in one direction and does not reverse its direction of rotation.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a rotary sprinkler for covering a noncircular area.

Another object is to provide a rotary sprinkler assembly having means for restricting the maximum area which the sprinkler normally covers.

Another object is to provide a device of this type having means for controlling the stream of water leaving the sprinkler nozzle so that the distance which the stream will travel from the device may be varied to suit the shape of the area to be watered.

Another object is to provide an attachment for a rotary sprinkler having a series of distortable elements which may be independently positioned to restrict the range of the water stream in any direction desired.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Referring to the drawings, a rotary sprinkler generally designated H], which may be of the type shown in the Englehart Patent No. 2,256,737, above referred to, is provided with a reaction element II which directs the stream of water from a lateral port I2, which communicates with a center bore l3 in a rotatable slot I 4. A stationary housing l5 having threads It on its lower end is adapted to be secured to a source of water pressure (not shown). Water entering the bore I3 in the rotary sleeve 14 is directed outwardly through the port l2 andserves to rotate reaction element H in an intermittent fashion as will be understood from a consideration of the Englehart construction. For purposes of this invention the rotary sprinkler head may be of any conventional style and the particular construction shown is merely a preferred design.

With the sprinkler element 10 rotating in the customary manner the area covered by the water is a circular area. In order to cover an area of another shape such as a rectangle, square, rhombus or any other irregular plane figure, this in- 4 Claims. (Cl. 299.18)

vention contemplates the use of a series of distortable segments I! which are formed integrally around the outer edge of an annular disc l8. The disk [8 is mounted concentrically with respect to the rotary sprinkler l0 and is positioned above the reaction element I I so that the water leaving the element II in the direction of the arrow l9 passes adjacent the outer edges of the segments [1. A plurality of vanes 2i) are provided for supporting the annular plate 13 in operative position and the lower ends of the vanes 29 are secured to the stationary housing 15. Bolted connections 2| and 22 may be provided for securing the annular plate I8 to the vanes and for securing the lower ends of the vanes together.

In the operation of this device the assembly is first secured to a source of water under pressure by means of the threaded connections [5. The sprinkler It then rotates to discharge water over a circular area. The individual segments [1 on the annular disc I8 then may be normally deformed to restrict the range of the stream of water in any desired direction. The maximum range in all directions is obtained by tilting each of the segments l7 upwardly and the minimum range in any particular direction is obtained by bending the particular segments l1 downwardly normal to the direction of the flow of the stream of water.

By this device embodying my invention I am able to water a square lawn or to water a desired area while maintaining another area such as a side walk contiguous thereto substantially dry.

Experience has shown that a very nice adjustment of the individual blades or segments l1 results in spraying an entire square or rectangular lawn. for example, without wetting the side walk or driveway adjacent thereto.

l-Iavin fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a water sprinkler assembly having a turnable element adapted to direct a stream of water upwardly and outwardly while the element turns, and a stationary disk member mounted coaxially of said element having a plurality of deflectors mounted in the path of the water stream as it turns, each of said deflectors being individually adjustable in a direction toward said path to restrict the range of said water stream as desired or away from said path to an inoperative position. whereby n are bounded 'by a non-circular perimeter may be watered.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotary water sprinkler assembly having a rotatable element adapted to direct a stream of water upwardly and outwardly while the element rotates, and a stationary fiat disk member mounted coaxially of said element having a plurality of deflectors mounted in the path of the water stream as it rotates, each of said deflectors being individually adjustable in a direction toward said path to restrict the range of said Water stream as desired or away from said path to an inoperative position, whereby an area bounded by a non-circular perimeter may be watered.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a water sprinkler assembly having an element rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and adapted to direct a stream of water upwardly and away from said axis, a stationary annular plate mounted concentrically of said axis in a plane normal thereto, a series of substantially radial slots extending inwardly from the outer periphery of the annular plate t6 define a plurality of deflectors therebetween, the deflectors being positioned in the path of the water stream as it rotates, the deflectors being individually distortable with respect to the said plane in a direction toward said path to restrict the range of the water stream as desired or away from said path to an inoperative position, whereby an area bounded by a noncircular perimeter may be watered.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a water sprinkler assembly having an element rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and adapted to direct a stream of water upwardly and away from said axis, a stationary annular plate mounted concentrically of said axis in a plane normal thereto, a series of substantially radial slots extending inwardly from the outer periphery of the annular plate and terminating short of the inner circumference thereof, the inner un-slotted portion of the plate forming a support ring and the outer slotted portion serving as a plurality of individually distortable deflectors, stationary means secured to the support ring adapted to support said annular plate, said deflectors being normally positioned in the path of the water stream as it rotates, and each being distortable downwardly with respect to the un-slotted support ring to restrict the range of the water stream, or upwardly away from said path to avoid contact with the water stream.

HERBERT H. OWBRIDGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 545,656 Lewis Sept. 3, 1895 1,235,813 Kelso Aug. 7, 1917 2,025,063 Loepsinger Dec. 24, 1935 2,135,138 Kendall Nov. 1, 1938 2,256,737 Englehart Sept. 3, 1941 

